About

What is 70s Big?

My friend AC and I were walking around the Wichita Falls Athletic Club one day looking at pictures of lifters from “back in the day”. We saw a collection of guys who were simply massive and strong. It made AC shake his head and say, “Man, these guys were…70’s Big.”

And it got me thinking.

The physiques of our 70’s Big co-captains, powerlifting Doug Young and Olympic lifting Anatoly Pisarenko, didn’t flourish through bodybuilding techniques. No sir; they wanted to be as strong as possible in their respective sports, and as a result they grew to meet such needs. Guys from this time period were big because they were strong.Guys from this time period were…70’s Big.

70’s Big is synonymous with being strong. It can also be considered the quest of attaining strength and subsequently muscular body weight. The best way to obtain strength is through barbell training, and barbell training means squatting, pressing, deadlifting, cleaning, jerking, and snatching. Period.

There are plenty of people who make it a priority to look like they are strong when they actually aren’t. Strength training yields a muscular, bouldered physique — it is the foundation for a hardy, useful, yet still pleasing aesthetic.

If you’re confused, the following picture is 70’s Big:

Illustration 1: Marv Philips, Larry Pacifico, and Doug Young

It’s currently in vogue to have a spindly, thin appearance which is typically accompanied by a low body fat percentage. Regardless of why this has come to be, those who have such an appearance are not very useful. Imagine asking someone of this “stature” to help you move your car out of the road, haul some lumber, or even fend off a potential zombie attack. It simply wouldn’t be feasible.

Thus, the mission statement of 70’s Big is multi-faceted and ever evolving. We aim to: